Reform NEEDED: Section 31 of Consumer Protection Act, 1986

Section 31 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, mandates a complaint to be made within two years from the date of supply of goods that prove to be defective or from the date of breach of contract. This provision makes no sense in 2025 because a lot of consumer goods today come with a warranty period of 1-2 years, or even 5 years in some cases. By the time the warranty period is over and a complaint is made, the manufacturer is no longer liable under the Consumer Protection Act. Moreover, with rising living costs and average Indian household expenditure on consumer goods, two years is a very short time to discover and report defects. This provision hampers consumer rights and makes the Act less effective in protecting consumers.